Rickman Counseling held its grand opening on June 17 in Selmer. Business after hours was held after the ribbon cutting.

The business is owned and operated by Mica Crawford, LPC-MHSP, which stands for Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Professional. This is the highest certification for a counselor in Tennessee. She is also licensed in Alabama as an LPC, which is the highest certification in that state.

Crawford has five years experience as a counselor and has worked as a career counselor at the University of North Alabama. She is currently working part-time as a substance abuse counselor at Bradford Health Services in Florence, Ala. and as a geriatric counselor at Lauderdale Christian Nursing Home in Green Hill, Ala.

She is the past president of the Alabama Mental Health Counselors Association and has been actively involved in several counseling associations at the state and local levels.

Crawford holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Alabama and graduated from McNairy Central High School.

The name of the business comes from Wallace Rickman II, Crawford’s fiance. She and Rickman plan to be married in September.

“It just seemed to be the right time. I moved back home from Alabama, and I wanted to provide Selmer and McNairy County a comfortable environment to receive counseling that is a little more intimate,” she said when asked how the idea for the business originated.

Crawford said she is in the process of being approved by insurance companies.

“It’s a long, long process, but I am working on it,” she said.

Crawford describes her approach as being person-centered, which means putting the client’s needs first and empathizing with what they are going through. She also takes the cognitive-behavioral approach, which means changing the way a client feels by changing the way they think.